Ten no Kajitsu Fruit of the Heavens
by Oumie
Summary: Post winter war.  Momo struggles to regain her honor after the war is over. Complications arrise when Aizen escapes.  Will the group be able to defeat him a second time?   summary sucks, I know.  But I think you'll like what's inside.  Just read
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Fan Fic, so please be gentle with me. (pretty please)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Wish I did, but I don't.**

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She lay on the rooftop where he had placed her. Despite his current state of rage, he had gently put her down, as though she'd been formed from the very ice he wielded, and would shatter with the slightest touch. She remained unmoving from that spot, unable to even turn her head when she heard their cries of desperation, heard her former Taicho's laughter as he cut through her _Little Brother'_s body.

"_The sky looks so blue today." _She thought aimlessly. Momo Hinomori watched the tiny wisps of cloud that drifted past her. "_It's so nice to have one last beautiful day. At least I won't die in the rain."_

"_**Being a little pessimistic, are we not?"**_

Momo's brow furrowed with concentration. "_I hardly see that as pessimism Tobiume, just realistic. I would think after living with my delusions these past few months, you would welcome a fresh bit of honesty." _She took a shallow breath, her chest becoming heavier as her lungs filled with her own blood. She would no longer allow herself to dwell amongst her fantasies, they had already cost her so much. For so long she had been at odds with her friends and peers, blindly defending the man she had once seen as a mentor and father figure. The pitying looks from others had eventually been replaced by avoidance and whispers behind her back. They called her mentally unstable, claimed that the betrayal had caused her to lose her mind, and at this moment, as she lay dying, she realized they were right.

"_**So melodramatic today! Honestly, what am I to do with you? You finally begin to open your eyes, only to give up?"**_

"Tobiume" She gurgled. It was getting harder to concentrate. Even her Zanpakutō's voice was beginning to fade. She felt cold, it reminded her of _him. _Momo felt the faint stirrings of panic when she thought of her _Little Brother_. She had never really had the chance to apologize. Momo had tried when she first awoke from her coma, Sou-Taicho Yamamoto was gracious enough to let her speak with him during his mission in the human world, but she had ruined it with her persistent delusions of Aizen's innocence. The look on his face as she begged him to save her Taicho, to rescue him from Ichimaru's evil influence, how naive she had been. Momo wondered who would watch over him now, protect him from himself, ensure he took the time to watch a sunset and eat watermelon. "_I'm sure Matsoumoto will take over for me" _she thought. It was true that the busty vice captain could be flaky sometimes, but Momo had seen the motherly affection she held for the young prodigy. She had no doubt that Rangiku-san would care for her friend. She would ensure that the young Taicho did not bury himself in grief and guilt. Her impalement on his zanpakutō was the workings of her former Taicho, Aizen was the only one to blame for their suffering. How many lives had he ruined in his quest for power? How she wished she could tell _him_ that.

The sky began to dim. She was unsure if it was truly night approaching, or if her senses had begun to fade with her immanent death. Momo was unsure how long she had lain there. It had been quiet for some time now, the clashing of metal on metal had retreated.

"_**Do not think like that."**_

Momo managed a weak smile for her dear Tobiume. The sword spirit's presence had been a great comfort in her lonely months. Though they had quarreled over Aizen's guilt, never once had the girl abandoned Momo.

"_I only wish I had listened to you sooner, my friend." _Momo thought.

"_**There is no use crying for the past my sister, but heed your own words. You would not listen to me then, listen to me now. Do not give up Hinomori, we still have much to do. Now that you have admitted to his betrayal, Aizen must pay for tarnishing our honor. We must redeem ourselves!"**_

Tobiume's words echoed in her mind. Momo's eyelids began to flutter closed. She felt so tired, so cold. She only wanted to retreat into herself, safe and hidden from all the destruction around her.

"_How" _she thought "_I'm so tired, Tobiume-chan. I don't think I can hold on any longer." _It was true, she had begun to fade faster, her eyes no longer open, her hearing had faded, all her senses had dimmed, pulling back to reserve what little strength she might have left.

"_**Do not give up Momo." **_A young woman in a pink kimono appeared before the unconscious girl's body. She looked over the edge of the rooftop. Below her, Tobiume could see the first wave of 4th Division shinigami arrive. They quickly began to make their way through the rubble, assisting any who were in need of aid. She watched as Captain Unohana appeared through the gateway. Tobiume smiled back at Hinimori.

"**It's alright now Momo, help has arrived."**Tobiume turned once more to find Captain Unohana, waiting till she was turned in their direction, she closed her eyes.

Suddenly, a burst of purple light emitted from the roof, followed by a great shock wave of reatsu. Those still able to move crouched low to the ground, reaching for their respective katanas and turned towards the new possible threat.

Captain Unohana shielded her eyes, the light shot straight into the heavens, tinting the sky a dusky rose hue. Just as soon as it had appeared, the light vanished. Those around her looked to one another in puzzlement.

"Hina...mori"

The 4th Division Captain looked down at her nearest patient. Rangiku Matsoumoto lay on a stretcher at her side. Unohana knelt beside the vice captain, she gently brushed the woman's hair from her eyes. Matsoumoto slowly blinked at her.

"Please...Taicho...help her." She whispered. Unohana's face registered in understanding. She stood and looked in the direction of the light.

"Isane" she called to her second in command. The purple haired woman appeared at her side. "Tell Hanataro to meet me on that rooftop. Take as many of the wounded as you can back to headquarters, then meet me there as well. Bring the emergency stabilization equipment with you, and hurry."

"Hai Taicho," Vice captain Isane nodded. She looked to the rooftop that her captain had motioned to. "What do you think has happened Taicho?" She asked worriedly.

Unohana turned slightly, looking back up at the dilapidated building she was now headed towards.

"I fear our sweet 5th Division vice captain may again be battling for her life."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the kind reviews and for those of you who added this story to your Favorites list. Here's the next chapter, hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Never have, never will.**

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_He saw an opening. The traitor was too preoccupied and had left himself vulnerable. If that visard, Shinji, held up his end of the plan, they might have a chance to finish this thing, before anymore lives were lost. He rushed in, teeth bared, blade at the ready. This was it, this was the end, and he, Toshiro Hitsugaya, would exact revenge for what that bastard had done to his friend._

How foolish he had been.

_The blood dripped from __Hyōrinmaru, running past the hilt to soak his sleeve. He felt the back splatter on his face, it seemed to be absorbed into his skin as well. He vaguely remembered scrubbing in the shower afterwards for hours, still the stain remained. He looked on in shock and despair. It wasn't him, how could it not be him, how could it not be Aizen at the end of his blade?_

Toshiro gritted his teeth as he swung Hyōrinmaru again, leaving a trail of ice and destruction in it's path. The cave he had retreated to since the end of the war was coated in thick sheets of ice, the majority of its natural formations were destroyed in the first month of his reckless raging. He panted with the exertion he'd put his body through. His left shoulder burned with it's over usage, it seemed he still had some healing of his own to do. The young Captain shook his head and and rotated the newly attached arm, he could not stop. This was his catharsis, the only time when he did not see her hanging limply in his arms, did not smell her blood as it drenched everything it touched. He could not bare to close his eyes at night, reliving that moment over again and again in his dreams. He had failed her.

" _**Master, you could not have foreseen the events that took place."**_

Toshiro swung his sword again. The crash of thousands of ice spears against the nearest wall echoed with his denial.

"_I should have known better, Hyorinmaru! We all knew the power of his zanpakuto, but I let my arrogance overpower me. I was so desperate for revenge, so greedy, that I ended up failing the one promise I ever made to her. To always protect her."_

Hitsugaya fell to his knees, his forehead resting on the hilt of his sword as he tried to regain his composure.

"Momo" He breathed.

"Taicho?"

Toshiro stood and turned towards the entrance of the cave. Standing hesitantly at the opening, her arms wrapped around herself for warmth, was his vice captain, Rangiku Matsumoto.

"I've brought you the status reports on all 10th Division personnel still receiving treatment at the 4th Division." She stated quietly.

He nodded and turned his back to her, preparing to continue his training session. " Place them on my desk, I'll look over them this evening."

Mastumoto shifted uncomfortably from her position, unsure of how to word her next announcement. Toshiro paused in agitation when he realized she had not yet left.

"Was there something else, lieutenant?"

"It's just that.." Rangiku paused. Her Captain had become so touchy these past few months, no one was sure exactly what might set him off. The slightest comment would have him running for the wilderness, spending hours destroying everything in his vicinity with a barrage of water and ice. However if he was already out here, how much worse could it get?

"Spit it out, Mastumoto." He growled, Toshiro could already tell where this was headed.

"Unohana Taicho thought you might be pleased to know that Hinamori's organs have completed the regeneration process. She is to be moved to the intensive ward this afternoon."

He paused. " Has there been any change to her responsiveness?"

Rangiku looked to the floor, shuffling her feet in nervousness. "There has been no change, as of yet." She replied quietly. " But Unohana Taicho believes that her outlook has improved greatly, and she is confident the Hinamori will recover fully."

There was a moment of stillness between them. Matsumoto waited patiently for any response, good or bad.

"I see." He spoke quietly.

She watched her Captain closely for a moment, waiting for anything else. After a few minutes of silence, she turned to leave.

"Matsumoto"

Rangiku stopped. "Hai Taicho?"

"Thank you" He had not bothered to turn towards her, but Rangiku nodded all the same. She turned back around and shunpoed back to the 10th Division headquarters.

Placing the reports on his desk, Matsumoto noticed the stack of unfinished paperwork lying in the 'due in' bin. She sighed and picked up the stack and moved it to her own desk. Sitting on the couch she pulled out her pen and got to work. She knew that her Captain would probably have worked on these tonight, he avoided sleep at all costs these days, but it couldn't hurt to lighten the load. She had a feeling that he might remain in that cavern till the wee hours of the morning, banishing away his demons through exhaustion.

"Come back to us soon Hinamori, for all our sakes." She whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks for the reviews, I'm sorry this took so long, just received household goods so we're still unpacking. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!**_

**Disclaimer : I don't own Bleach**

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Deep in the bowels of the Avici, Aizen Sosuke listened to the screams of his fellow inmates with a smirk on his face. Their cries echoed through the cavernous halls night and day, forming a chilling sort of symphony. He, of course, could block them out if he wanted to, however Aizen enjoyed letting the noise of their agony wash over him, bathing him in the differences between himself and the weak inconsequential mortals. It was a comforting reminder.

His cell wasn't so much of a room as it was the bottom of a steeply dug pit, where he was left, still bound and wrapped. His guards were being extra precautions with their newest resident, they had ensured there wasn't so much as a pin left in his vicinity. Aizen chuckled at their paranoia, shinigami could be so predictable. A prime example had been his former vice captain, Gin Ichimaru. He had such high hopes for the fox faced prodigy, but one look at the buxom red head vice captain, and Aizen Sosuke had known she would be Gin's downfall. He let her get to close to him, and had succumb to his emotions. Aizen sighed, it had been such a pity.

"_**Well what do you expect. Those without our degree of power, can never meet our standards."**_

The ex-captain of the 5th Division's eyes narrowed. He concentrated, searching for the source of this new voice, but finding not even an ounce of spiritual pressure. Aizen relaxed against his bonds, there was no point in struggling to speak, as a precaution his captors had sealed his mouth with a kido spell .

"_**Oh I wouldn't worry about that, such trivial forms of communication should be beneath someone of your power anyways. I am able to read your thoughts as clear as if you had spoken them to me, besides we wouldn't want to worry your little 'entourage' up there, they might begin to think you've gone crazy or some other such nonsense."**_ The voice chuckled darkly.

_Aizen's eyes narrowed. "I find that due to a shortage on conversations as of late, especially from unknown voices with no trace of spiritual power, my tolerance for the finer social graces has been severely depleted, so you'll forgive my bluntness, but who are you, and what business do you have with me?"_

_Another giggle resounded through his mind. Aizen could not quite discern if it was male or female._

"_**We'll get to that all in good time. For now, let me reassure you that we have certain goals in common, and as the humans say ' the enemy of my enemy..' well you get the picture. If you would permit me, allow me to perform a gesture of good faith?"**_

In an instant, Aizen felt the muscles in his jaw slacken. Though still wrapped in the customary prisoner straps, the kido spell was broken, he was able to stretch his facial muscles and open his mouth again.

"_**I hope this will provide you a little more comfort till better arrangements can be made. I would suggest, however, that we maintain this method for conversing. We wouldn't want to cause a scene, at least, not at the moment. There will be plenty of time for that soon enough."**_

Aizen felt his lips slide into his customary sadistic smirk of there own volition. "_Agreed" He thought. "Now about these better arrangements of yours. I am most interested to here what you have in mind."_

His smile grew deeper, who knew he would find such a kindred spirit in this wretched place. It seemed as though imprisonment would not be such a bad thing after all.

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Momo sighed contentedly as she rested back against a sakura tree. The sun was high overhead, with the occasional cloud drifting by, and just enough of a breeze to make the days heat not too intolerable. She treasured moments like this, they had been too far and few in between as of late it seemed. It was as if Soul Society itself had taken notice of this rare event as well. The courtyard of the 5th Division was deserted with the exception of its vice-captain. Momo assumed everyone had left to enjoy the day.

_Their probably at the lake. _She thought, though she made no move to try and go join them. She was happy to enjoy the solitude.

"**What makes you so sure you are all alone?"**

Momo looked up. Perched on the branch above her, was Tobiume. The zanpakuto spirit was dressed in a light purple summer kimono, cranes in the shades of blue and pearl dance up her left side. She smiled down at her mistress and in a flash of shunpoe, was standing in front of her.

" I was wondering where you were, you've been absent for a few days now. Is everything alright?" Momo asked. She studied Tobiume closely. The girl seemed stressed, there were slight discolorations under her eyes, and the neat coif she usually kept her hair in was unkempt, small strands escaping at the sides.

Tobiume watched as a sakura petal drifted in the breeze till it eventually rested at her feet. Her mind wondered back over the past six months that her mistress had been asleep. The healing process had been difficult to say the least, but adding the mad scientist and his incessant need to experiment had nearly put the spirit at her limit. Thankfully, Rangiku had been headed to the 12th Division for a status report when she had felt the flair up of Tobiume's spiritual pressure. When she arrived, Mastumoto had found the entire lab encased in a protective shield, those who had not been fast enough to escape the zanpakuto's wrath, seemed to have been paralyzed where they stood. After that, it was ensured that Momo had a guard of no less then two 10th Division soldiers at all times. Captain Mayuri Kurosuchi had mysteriously been absent as well, making excuses of more research to do in Hueco Mundo.

"Tobiume, please, tell me what's troubling you."

Tobiume sighed. **"It's certainly beautiful here. You must be proud of the work you've done restoring this place."**

Momo looked around at the courtyard,** i**t was indeed very beautiful. When she had first arrived at the 5th Division, the garden had been well maintained, but there had been nothing extraordinary about it. Everyday, she would pass by it, her heart would ache for the home she had left. Granny's house had been surrounded by flowering trees. In the summertime, she would leave the door cover up, allowing the wind to carry each blossom's perfume to them as they slept. She remembered how she and Toshiro would chase each other through the trees, playing till they collapsed with exhaustion. When a work detail had come up to enrich the area, Momo had jumped at the chance. She worked tirelessly with the others who had volunteered. Each of the four corners of the courtyard had a lattice that ran up to the rooftop with crawling vines that bloomed with a multitude of colors in the spring, bushes edged the walkways between the barracks and the offices. A stone path had been created to meander around the new garden, it eventually lead to a bridge which crossed to a small circular island. Momo had planted and nutured the sakura tree that resided on this island,and around it, she had filled the small pond with koi fish. This was her oasis, after 50 years in Soul Society, it was still considered the most beautiful courtyard in all the divisions.

"I'm very proud of how it turned out, but it wasn't just me, there were plenty others who helped build this."

Tobiume sighed and sat next to the vice-captain. It seemed this was going to be harder than she thought.

"**Hinamori, where do you think we are?" **She asked.

Momo's brow furrowed in puzzlement. " We're in the 5th Division of course. Look around you."

"**I am Momo, but are you? Haven't you wondered where everyone is? If we're at the Division, shouldn't there be people around? Shouldn't someone be working?"**

Momo frowned further, but then she smiled dismissively at her zanpakuto. "Lighten up a bit Tobiume! It's too nice of a day to be working. Everyone is just out enjoying the sunshine, and after the year we've had, they deserve to. I don't understand what your getting at." She stood up, suddenly beginning to feel very agitated. The sky began to darken and the wind pick up. Momo looked up at the incoming clouds, they were dark and angry, and they frightened her a bit. She had always hated thunderstorms.

"**You know that's not right Momo. I thought you were done with hiding from the truth. I thought you said the delusions were going to end?"**

The wind tore at Momo's hair, pulling it from it's bun. She reached up for the cloth but it blew away, lost in the building storm. She turned towards the bridge, wanting to run, to get out of the storm. Overhead, the first flash of lightning struck, she whimpered and closed her eyes, fear washing over her body. Tobiume grabbed her shoulders, preventing her from running.

"I don't understand!" She cried. " What do you mean? We're in the 5th Division, I'm in the 5th Division!"

"**Are you?" **Tobiume asked. Momo opened her eyes and gasped. She was at Granny's house, standing outside among the trees. The Storm overhead continued to build. Thunder rolled over the sky darkly, like a twisted booming laugh.

Momo looked to her zanpakuto, speechless and with tears in her eyes. Tobiume pulled her close, staring into her eyes, their foreheads touching.

"**How will you stop him if you continue to run?"**

"Who, what ar-" Momo eyes clouded with confusion. Another resounding roll of thunder clashed overhead, Momo was almost certain she heard a laugh that time. A particular laugh, one man's laugh. It was the same morbid dark chuckle she had heard as he ran her through in Central 46. The laugh she had heard as she fell to the floor, her eyes never leaving his blade, a blade now covered in her blood.

Tobiume saw the recognition the moment it hit her eyes. She nodded slowly. **"He's still alive, Hinamori Momo. They may have caught him, locked him up and thrown away the key, but he still lives. While he still breathes, no one is safe. It's only a matter of time, you know this."**

"H-how can you be so sure?" Momo asked breathlessly.

"**Because while you slept, while you continue to sleep, I have kept watch over you. I've heard the other shinigami and some of the zanpakuto talk about it. They sentenced him to 20,000 years in the Avici. You know they won't be able to hold him, you are the only person he's been close to left."**

"You're forgetting the fact that while I may have been close to him, the Aizen I knew was a fake. I was deceived just as much as the rest of them, more so. I was his vice-captain, I should have seen what he was doing, instead I let my adoration blind me." Momo said bitterly.

Tobiume gave her mistress a small shake. **"A viper may shed it's skin, but that does not change the color on it's back. For all his deceit, he cannot change his basic nature. You know his sleeping habits, how he eats, what he likes in his tea! You also know his determination and his will to succeed at his goals. You know he will not stop till Soul Society is in ashes!"**

Momo stared at the girl. Tobiume had always seemed so meek, so reserved. When had this lioness taken her place? Right now, looking at her, she almost frightened the vice-captain.

"What do I do?" She asked softly.

Tobiume sighed. **"You just have to wake up, Momo. That's the first step, the rest will come after that. Just wake up."**

Lightening flashed, striking one of the trees at the edge of the clearing. Momo jumped and turned as all around her the orchard burst into flame.

"What do I have to do? How do I wake up, Tobiume? Tobiume!" Momo turned around in a circle, shouting for her zanpakuto, but the girl was gone. The wind picked up to an almost hurricane like force, fanning the flames higher. Momo shielded her eyes and searched for cover. She spotted her grandmother's shack and ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Momo ducked inside the door cover closing her eyes and trying to calm her ragged breathing.

_What do I do, how am I supposed to wake out of this, where's Tobiume?_

"Momo"

Hinamori spun at the sound of his voice. The shack was completely dark, the only things visible were his glimmering turquoise eyes. She ran to the corner he stood in and through herself on him. His arms wrapped around her, trapping her body against his.

"Toshiro" she sobbed. " I'm so glad you're here! Tobiume said this was all a dream and I had to wake up, but I don't know how and suddenly this stor-" She felt him chuckle as he pressed his fingertips to her lips. Momo felt the blush heat her cheeks as his finger seemed to caress her bottom lip.

"Silly bed wetter, every thing's fine now. You're safe here, haven't I always told you I would protect you?"

Momo's body felt heavy and warm as he whispered to her. She briefly wondered when he had hit a growth spurt, he was at least as tall as she was now, if not an inch taller. The wind and the storm continued to blow outside but she found herself not caring as much when she lost herself in his eyes. Toshiro slowly leaned into her, his face only a breath away from hers. Momo quite suddenly found her heart lodged in her throat, making her incapable of speech, not that she would want to say anything if she could. His lips suddenly detoured from her own to find her ear. Her eyes closed and she felt her head tilt towards him of its own accord. She felt him smirk at that.

" Momo? Can you do something for me?"

"Hmm?" She replied.

"Momo, can you wake up? Just wake up Momo, please. I'm sorry, just wake up."

Momo turned her head to Toshiro, her eyes filled with confusion. His face was etched with grief, dark circles lay heavily under his own teal orbs, which were filled with unshed tears at the moment. She brought up a hand to wipe at his cheek but found that it went right through him. He continued to stare at her in anguish.

"Shiro-chan!" She cried desperately.

"Wake up Momo, please. Just wake up." He vanished. The wind outside howled it's rage. Momo spun in a circle, searching the room and finding nothing. She heard a wrenching sound and ducked as the roof of the shack was blown off. Momo looked up from her position kneeling on the floor. Her knees were bleeding but she did not notice, the rain poured down on her, soaking her small frame but she was oblivious. Above, amongst the clouds, a pair of cruel eyes watched her as the thunder roared with twisted mirth. She knew those eyes, she had once lived to see those eyes look at her with approval.

Momo screamed as the lightening raced towards her.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm very sorry it's taken me so long. Things are crazy right now, but I'm already on to chapter 5 and I hope you guys like this one. To answer a question I got in a review, I just like to add a little of the japanese into the story because I prefer to watch it in japanese versus the english. If you compare the two, the Japanese version has some funnier stuff in it I think, and the english version seems a little forced and serious to me. I'll try to keep it too a minimum though, if you have question about a word, just ask me. Again thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this chapter.

**Disclaimer: We all know I don't own Bleach(sigh)**

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Momo awoke gasping for air. Her eyes traveled around her surroundings, taking in her environment. She could hear an alarm going off somewhere but could not bring herself to focus on it. The room was dark, save for a pale sliver of moonlight that peaked through the curtains on the window and the dim light of the machines at the foot of her bed, which were currently flashing wildly with her sudden movements. She looked down at her body, there were wires and tubes coming out of her from all different angles. Momo pulled at the breathing mask that covered her face, she coughed as she took her first few breaths on her own making her lungs burn. She leaned over and began pulling the monitors off her body as quickly as she could.

The door swung open as she was about to take the I.V from her arm. Captain Unohana and vice Captain Isane rushed to the bed, placing restraining hands on her. Hinamori thrashed wildly trying to escape their grasps.

"Hinamori you must relax! Your safe now, you're in the 4th's medical wing, just relax." Isane said calmly. Both women's hands were firm and unyielding, but gentle at the same time. Hinamori struggled all the same, still searching the room for the eyes that had been watching her. Unohana made soothing noises to the young woman trying to calm her. The whole ward had heard her scream, a sound so mournful and terrifying it had sent chills through the older woman's body. The young vice captain seemed to still somewhat caught in whatever nightmare she had just woken from. Whatever it had been, it had been enough to break her from the comatose state she had been trapped in.

Momo began to relax, laying back against the bed. Captain Unohana had propped a few more pillows behind her back, allowing for her to sit up slightly while Vice Captain Isane began to replace the monitor patches on her body. Captain Unohana held her hand and comfortingly smoothed the hair from the young girl's face. She took in the frail woman's appearance. Momo had dark bruising under her eyes, the contrast made stark by the pallor of her skin. Her hair was limp and in disarray, she knew orderlies did their best to clean the unresponsive patients, but there was only so much you could bath on a person while still in their bed. Hinamori's cheek were sunken and hallow, Retsu made a note to have her meals strictly observed, she would need to be placed on a special diet to allow her to regain strength and body mass. As Captain Unohana mad her assessments, she noticed Momo's lips moving, there was no sound but it seemed as if she were trying to speak. She lifted the glass of water from the bedside table and placed the straw into the young woman's mouth. Momo sipped at the cool liquid, she could feel the burning parched feeling leave her throat as she drank.

"The breathing tubes have a tendency to make ones throat raw and swollen, it will pass in a day or two. We removed yours yesterday, we thought it might help to allow you to breathe on your own." Unohana said softly.

"How long?" Momo croaked.

Unohana paused, trying to discern what she was asking. "How long have you been out?" Momo nodded. " You were in the 12th Division's regeneration lab for a little over six months. You were only moved here about a month ago."

Momo's eyes closed for a moment. "Toshiro?" She whispered.

"Hitsugaya Taicho is fine. He sustained a few injuries but he has recovered quickly." Unohana kept her answer vague. There was no sense in over stressing the girl with details when everything had turned out fine. She glanced quickly to the door, but Momo did not seem to notice. Isane finished replacing the monitors and pulled the sheets back over Hinamori's frame. Retsu could see exhaustion quickly reclaiming the girl. She placed a hand over the vice captain's forehead and said a quick kido spell, helping her to relax and let sleep come. "Just relax, there will be plenty of time to answer questions tomorrow."

Momo felt the kido wash over her body, she felt calm and peaceful, her body relaxing back into the bed. She thought she heard someone else come into the room, but her eyelids were too heavy to open. She slowly slipped back into oblivion.

Toshiro watched the scene unfold from the doorway. When she had first started to seize and shake as she awoke, he had run to get the Captain of 4th Division's aid. Her scream had sent his heart into a deep freeze. It was a horrendous sound, even when she had been screaming at the foot of Aizen's fake corpse, she hadn't sounded so terrified. He couldn't imagine what had scared her so.

"Did she say anything?" He asked quietly, his eyes never moving from her sleeping form.

"Just asked how long she had been under, and about you." Retsu looked at the young man, trying to discern the emotion on his face. She had never seen the 10th's captain in such a state, no one had except maybe the young woman who lay there, and she even doubted that. Hitsugaya's shoulders were slumped and his icy persona seemed to be caving off of him in unstable waves. She couldn't imagine the amount of pain he was in. Hinamori was the closest thing he had to family left, and too almost have lost her, not once but twice in the past year, she was certain a lesser man would have broken now.

Toshiro nodded slowly. He watched as Isane replaced the breathing mask and then rechecked the monitors to make sure everything was in working order. She turned and nodded once to Captain Unohana then quietly left the room. Unohana turned back to Hitsugaya and smiled comfortingly.

"Everything seems to be in order now. The kido spell should last till morning and it should help with her nightmares. It's still pretty early, your more than welcome to stay here. I'll have Isane send a cot in if you wish."

"Yes, thank you." Toshiro whispered. Retsu made to leave the room when he stopped her. "Is she- will she be okay?" He asked gruffly.

"Physically, she seems fine, all of her wounds have healed nicely. She is a little malnourished at the moment, but that is to be expected and should be easy to rectify. Mentally" she paused, unsure of what to say, "well it's still too early to tell. We'll just need to keep a close eye on her and wait and see what happens."

Toshiro's eyes closed, trying to fight back the pain and tears hiding in them. For a moment, Retsu pondered how someone could look so young and yet so old at the same time.

"She's strong, Hitsugaya Taicho, remember she's been though this before and pulled through. She just needs her friends around her to support her and lead her through this. Hinamori wasn't made a vice captain for no reason, there is strength in her, have faith."

Toshiro gave her his thanks, and Unohana left the room, closing the door and heading to her office. She would need to write up a report for the head captain. He, also, was interested in the mental welfare and recuperation of the 5th Division's vice captain.

* * *

Ichigo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling without really seeing it. One month, it had been one month since he had last seen or spoken to any ghost, hollows, mod souls, or shinigami. He sighed in frustration and looked around the room. It was too quiet. Kon had gone to stay at Urahara's shop for awhile, the little mod soul had not been able to handle Ichigo's downward spiral of depression.

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked at his door. Karin stood in the frame, she was wearing her new middle school uniform, her hair tied up in a ponytail. She had hit a growth spurt in the last couple of months, making her almost taller than Rukia. Ichigo's face scrunched into a grimace when he thought of the 'little shorty' who had turned his life upside down. He spent most of his days trying to block out his memories of her and all the others from Soul Society, it was too painful otherwise.

"What's up Karin" He asked. Karin walked in and sat down at the chair at his desk. She tugged at her skirt a little. She hated the thing, she didn't see why she couldn't just wear pants like the boys. Seriously, how was she supposed to run around or play soccer in this thing without showing everything to the whole world. Not that she had much time for that anymore. Since Ichigo had lost his powers, she had tried to take up his mantle. It wasn't easy, in fact her teacher had just gotten on her today for failing a test, because she had spent the whole night out chasing a hollow instead of studying.

"So how was school today?" Ichigo asked. Karin looked up.

"Oh you know, just the usual stuff. Most of it's so boring I have a hard time staying awake half the time." She said, rubbing the back of her neck and laughing nervously. Ichigo frowned, this wasn't like Karin.

"Actually that's why I came to you. I sort of fell asleep during one of my tests and the teacher failed me. He said that he would let me take the retest but that I had to get this one signed first. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind signing it for me, I don't want Dad to freak out, you know how he can get. I promise I'll do really well on the make up and it won't happen again., please Ichigo?"

Ichigo frowned, this definitely wasn't like Karin. He looked over her face, it had thinned out in the last month, making her look a little older. Ichigo had just thought she was growing, but looking more closely at her, he could see bags under her eyes. He also noticed a large bruise the was halfway hidden by her skirt.

"Give it here." He said. Karin handed him the test and he pulled out a pen to scrawl his signature across it. " Just don't let it happen again. By the way, where'd you get that nasty bruise? You havin' any other kinds of problems at school?"

Karin looked down and pulled her skirt to cover the large discoloration. She laughed again in that same nervous way. "Oh that's just from soccer practice, it's no big deal."

"Right" Ichigo said, unconvinced, "well just try to be a little more careful next time won't you? We don't want that big overgrown drama queen flooding the whole house with tears if you brake something."

"Right, that would be bad. Thanks Ichi-nii." She took the paper from her brother and practically ran from the room. Ichigo watched her carefully. Something was definitely off with his little sister. He got up and went to the window. He watched as a few minutes later Karin ran from the house and headed down the street. Ichigo headed downstairs. He found Yuzu in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

"Smells good Yuz, what is it?" He asked as he leaned against the counter. His sister jumped a little, startled by his appearance.

"Ichigo, you scared me! You shouldn't sneak up on people, it's not nice." She scolded him. "I'm making a new curry dish, one of my friends from school gave me the recipe. She says it's the best."

"Sorry bout that Yuzu, didn't mean to scare you. Hey speaking of school, how's it going? Are you having the same problems that Karin's having?"

Yuzu paused at that. She didn't know her sister was having problems with class. She knew her sister had started going out at night, their rooms were next to each other show she could hear when Karin snuck in and out of her window. Had she started hanging out with a new crowd? Yuzu began to worry.

"No my classes are going great. I'm one of the top of my class, in fact. Why?" She asked.

"Oh it's nothing big, Karin was just mentioning she was falling asleep in class. Maybe she's coming down with a cold or something."

Yuzu paused from cutting up vegetables. "Ichigo" she said nervously, " I didn't want to say anything, but I'm starting to worry about her. I heard her going out the window a couple nights ago, and she didn't come back till almost morning. You don't think she's joined a gang or something, do you?"

Ichigo looked at his little sister's big watery eyes. He shook his head, Yuzu could be as over dramatic as their father sometimes. "I'm sure it's nothing like that. Karin know better than to get mixed up with the wrong crowd. Still, the next time you hear her sneak out, come tell me okay?" Yuzu nodded and wiped at her eyes, reassured by her brothers words.

"Hey where was Karin off to just now? She knows dad'll flip if she's late for dinner." He asked casually.

"Oh she'll be back in time, she said she was just going to Urahara's to ask Jinta for something. I think she said he was in the same class as her." Yuzu turned to find herself alone. She heard the door slam.

Ichigo ran down the street pushing his legs as fast as they would take him. _That bastard!_ He thought. _I'll rip his freakin' head off if he's gotten Karin into this shit!_

Ichigo made it to the shop in record time. As he came around the corner, he stopped to cautiously look around. The courtyard was empty. _Everyone must be inside, not exactly a good sign,_ he thought. Carefully, he made his way to the side door, slipping in undetected.


End file.
